In Mannheim, Germany, a black SUV sped into a crowd, killing at least two people and injuring several others on a busy shopping street. Witnesses reported the chaos as the vehicle struck pedestrians. One suspect has been arrested, with uncertainty surrounding additional suspects. The incident coincided with carnival festivities, prompting police to advise residents to avoid the area amid a large-scale emergency response. Security concerns have intensified in Germany following recent violent attacks, including similar car rammings. Authorities remain vigilant, particularly after social media threats linked to terrorist groups ahead of carnival events.
Berlin:
At least two individuals lost their lives and many others sustained injuries when a car drove into a group of pedestrians in the western German city of Mannheim, according to German media reports on Monday, which cited eyewitnesses. A black SUV reportedly sped through the crowd, striking several people in Planken, the main shopping street in the city with a population of around 300,000, as reported by the local outlet Mannheimer Morgen (MM).
A police spokesperson confirmed that one suspect has been apprehended in relation to the incident. The official noted that it remains uncertain if there are additional suspects involved.
The vehicle was reportedly heading from the centrally located Paradeplatz square towards the city’s iconic water tower, as detailed by the Mannheim24 news website, which also mentioned that multiple individuals suffered severe injuries.
The police are urging the public to remain indoors.
At least one person has been reported dead due to the incident, according to several eyewitness accounts. However, authorities have yet to officially confirm any fatalities.
The occurrence coincided with crowds assembling in various cities across regions, including Germany’s Rhineland, to participate in parades celebrating the carnival season.
Local police indicated that a rescue and relief operation is currently being conducted in the city center. Police spokesman Stefan Wilhelm refrained from providing specifics but mentioned that residents have been advised “to steer clear of the inner city area” following the emergency, which prompted a substantial police response.
Security concerns have intensified in Germany due to a series of violent incidents in recent weeks, including deadly vehicle rammings in Magdeburg in December and in Munich last month, along with a stabbing in Mannheim in May 2024.
The police were on heightened alert for this year’s carnival parades after social media accounts linked to the Islamic State terrorist group called for attacks on events in Cologne and Nuremberg.
This incident follows closely on the heels of a car ramming at a crowd in Munich, which resulted in the deaths of a 37-year-old woman and her two-year-old daughter. Farhad Noori, an Afghan asylum seeker, was arrested in connection with that attack.